Sign more agreements to strengthen cooperation; Joint working group to formulate an action plan
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif receive Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan base. Photo: APP
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Uzbekistan on Thursday agreed to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion within the next five years.
In this regard, a protocol to enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two countries was signed in Islamabad by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
The two countries also signed a series of agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in various fields, including defense, agriculture, trade, industry, culture, education, disaster management, pharmaceuticals and others.
According to the protocol, the two parties shall form a joint working group to formulate an action plan to identify sectors for strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation through mutual consultations.
Both leaders attended the ceremony held at PM House as ministers and officials from both sides exchanged the documents of the agreements.
Among the key pacts, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Pakistan’s Drug Regulatory Authority and Uzbekistan’s Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency to strengthen cooperation in pharmaceutical products and regulatory functions.
An MoU on cooperation in sports and physical culture was signed between the Pakistan Sports Board and the Ministry of Sports of Uzbekistan.
To strengthen trade ties, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov signed a protocol on expanding the list of goods under the preferential trade agreement, along with an agreement to establish the Pakistan-Uzbekistan Inter-Regional Forum aimed at strengthening regional business-to-business cooperation.
In the defense sector, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Uzbek Defense Minister Shukhrat Khalmukhammedov signed an action plan for defense cooperation. The two parties also entered into a memorandum of understanding in the areas of ecology, climate change and disaster risk reduction, as well as an MoU on mutual cooperation in disaster management, emphasizing growing cooperation in non-traditional security areas.
An Agreement on Cooperation in Combating Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors was signed between the Government of Pakistan and the Government of Uzbekistan. The document was signed by Interior Minister Talal Chaudhary on behalf of Pakistan and Abdulaziz Kamilov, Adviser to the President of Uzbekistan on Foreign Policy, representing the Uzbek side.
In the field of information technology and digital cooperation, a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications of Pakistan and the Ministry of Digital Technology of Uzbekistan was signed by the Minister of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan. The purpose of the agreement is to promote cooperation within digital infrastructure, innovation and technology exchange.
In the field of agriculture and food security, a cooperation agreement was signed between Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture. Additional protocols on plant protection and phytosanitary requirements for agricultural exports were also concluded.
In trade facilitation and maritime cooperation, a memorandum of understanding was signed to promote maritime trade and preferential port arrangements at Karachi, Gwadar and Qasim ports.
Agreements were also signed to promote industrial cooperation and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Several MoUs focused on culture, heritage and education, including agreements on the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage and cooperation between national heritage and cultural institutions.
Both sides also entered into MoUs between academic and research institutions, including the University of Peshawar and Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, and between leading strategic and regional study institutes in the two countries.
Agreements were also reached to strengthen municipal and business cooperation, including partnerships between Peshawar and Termez city administrations, Islamabad and Samarkand city administrations, and the establishment of an Uzbekistan-Pakistan Joint Business Council between the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and its Uzbek counterpart.
GUIDE visit
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev along with senior ministers paid an official visit to Global Industrial and Defense Solutions (GIDS) as part of his official tour to Pakistan.
Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir warmly welcomed the President and the delegation and led them during the visit to the facility, a press release issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
During the visit, the President was briefed on the diverse portfolio of GIDS, which includes advanced defense solutions, industrial capabilities and technological innovations.
The delegation visited key facilities and experienced various defense products that reflected Pakistan’s growing expertise in indigenous defense production and industrial development.
PhD degree
The National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) on Thursday awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy and the title of Professorship to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and contribution to strengthening bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
(With additional input from the News Desk)
